She likes me!
"I like you, mommy. I really like you."
After eleven months of loving my sweet three year old daughter, she finally likes me.
Sure, she has loved me for a while - as much as she is capable. She has fun with me all the time, but over the past (almost) year, she has never showed me that she genuinely liked me - until today.
You see, eleven months ago, Bella and her brothers came to live with us. It was unexpected to all seven of us that each of our lives would be turned upside down. We weren't "ready" to take in a sibling group with high needs, but we stood right where God wanted us - when we asked Him where He wanted us, it was clear.
Last May was a rough one for three of our kids. They were moving to a new home - knowing nothing other than that we "were safe". They had lived in three other homes long term and Bella had attached to at least one of those moms. Here she was, ripped from all she knew and loved because of safety.
Thankfully we didn't have to decide if they were safe in any other homes - the judge did that for us. Instead, we just got to receive these kids, knowing we could adopt them if we'd like in 6 short months. Knowing full well that they had several families whom they loved, but couldn't be with was real to all three of them.
Throughout the summer, Bella would call for "mommy" and I would run to her even though I knew she didn't really want me. She wanted the mom she was bonded to. She wanted the woman who had cared for her for well over a year. She wanted her old bed, room and toys. She wanted to be where everything was familiar. Instead, she got me.
My heart breaks for my little girl who is learning how to love her new mommy. Thankfully, as we talked about today (as we often do), there will be no more daddies, no more mommies, no more new houses. This is it. We adopted her in December and we get to be together forever. That's when she told me the great news: not only did she love me, she likes me now too. Such a small phrase fills my heart with joy.
After eleven months of loving my sweet three year old daughter, she finally likes me.
Sure, she has loved me for a while - as much as she is capable. She has fun with me all the time, but over the past (almost) year, she has never showed me that she genuinely liked me - until today.
You see, eleven months ago, Bella and her brothers came to live with us. It was unexpected to all seven of us that each of our lives would be turned upside down. We weren't "ready" to take in a sibling group with high needs, but we stood right where God wanted us - when we asked Him where He wanted us, it was clear.
Last May was a rough one for three of our kids. They were moving to a new home - knowing nothing other than that we "were safe". They had lived in three other homes long term and Bella had attached to at least one of those moms. Here she was, ripped from all she knew and loved because of safety.
Thankfully we didn't have to decide if they were safe in any other homes - the judge did that for us. Instead, we just got to receive these kids, knowing we could adopt them if we'd like in 6 short months. Knowing full well that they had several families whom they loved, but couldn't be with was real to all three of them.
Throughout the summer, Bella would call for "mommy" and I would run to her even though I knew she didn't really want me. She wanted the mom she was bonded to. She wanted the woman who had cared for her for well over a year. She wanted her old bed, room and toys. She wanted to be where everything was familiar. Instead, she got me.
My heart breaks for my little girl who is learning how to love her new mommy. Thankfully, as we talked about today (as we often do), there will be no more daddies, no more mommies, no more new houses. This is it. We adopted her in December and we get to be together forever. That's when she told me the great news: not only did she love me, she likes me now too. Such a small phrase fills my heart with joy.
Comments
Post a Comment